System For Adapting Device Standars After Manufacture

ABSTRACT

A system for efficient sale of devices that comply with licensed standards. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a generic, or highly adaptable, hardware device. The device can be adapted to adhere to a specific standard, e.g., code-division multiple access, time-division multiple access, etc., after manufacture such as at the point-of-sale to an end user, prior to distribution, or at some other point in a distribution and sales network. This allows manufacturers, retailers and end users to benefit from more competitive selection of standardized communication, data and other formats. Reduction of manufacturing costs and elimination of shipping, or other transfer and storage costs, is also realized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following co-pending applications:

(1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/815,122, filed on Mar. 22, 2001,entitled “ADAPTIVE INTEGRATED CIRCUITRY WITH HETEROGENEOUS ANDRECONFIGURABLE MATRICES OF DIVERSE AND ADAPTIVE COMPUTATIONAL UNITSHAVING FIXED, APPLICATION SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL ELEMENTS;” and

(2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. [TBD] filed on [TBD], entitled“SYSTEM FOR AUTHORIZING FUNCTIONALITY IN CONFIGURABLE HARDWARE DEVICES”.

Each of the above applications are hereby incorporated by reference asif set forth in full in this document.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to adapting hardware devices toachieve desired functionality and more specifically to adapting ahardware device at, or prior to, the time of sale.

Traditional consumer electronic devices have substantially fixedfunctionality. Devices such as cell phones, digital audio players,personal digital assistants (PDAs), global positioning satellite (GPS)terminals, etc. are designed, manufactured and marketed as a specifictype of device with a specific feature set. Typically, a manufacturer ofa new device makes decisions at the very outset of design ormanufacturing as to what functions the device will perform, whichstandards (e.g., communication transfer standard, data format standard,etc.) the device will be compatible with, etc. This requires selectionof appropriate integrated circuit (IC) chips, or the design of new chipsand circuitry. Where standards are followed, royalty payments must bepaid to the standard's creator, consortium, or other organization orentity that owns the standard. Such royalty, or other, payment can be asignificant part of the overall cost of manufacturing the device.

A next step in manufacturing the device is the “board-level” design andassembly. The IC chips are arranged with other circuitry, user controls,connectors, etc., on a singular assembly such as a printed-circuit (PC)board. Typically, a new design is needed for each new device asdifferent chips and other components are being used.

Next, a chassis designer and manufacturer is used to create and enclosethe assembly in a housing, or shell. Again, this is a customized step asthe packaging for a new board assembly is usually unique. After theassembly is incorporated into the housing package the device isphysically completed.

There may be one or more levels of distribution of the device. Amanufacturer can ship to a wholesale distributor. The wholesaledistributor can then ship to retail distributors. The retaildistributors can ship to retail sellers. Finally, a consumer purchasesand obtains the device.

FIG. 1B illustrates a prior art approach to manufacturing, distributingand selling an electronic device.

In FIG. 1B, a device manufacturer commissions an integrated circuit (IC)manufacturer, or foundry, to fabricate custom ICs, or chips, accordingto the manufacturer's designs. Such chips can includeapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable gate array(PGA), or other design approaches. IC manufacturer 140 then provides thechips to the device manufacturer or to board-level manufacturer 142.

Board-level manufacturer 142 combines components onto one or morecircuit assemblies. Typically, this is a printed circuit board (PCB) butany other type of circuit assembly is possible. The circuit assembly issent to enclosure manufacturer 144 where the final assembly and testingof the device is performed.

Then the electronic device is subjected to a large-scale distributionnetwork. Distribution network 146 represents any delivery, storage andsales facility that might be used to disseminate the product. Forexample, shipping, warehousing, wholesale and other sales outlets can beused. Furthermore, the distribution can include Internet, mail,telephone, or other services. Ultimately, the product is provided to anend user, or consumer, via a sales endpoint such as retail sales point148. A retail sales point can be a physical or e-commerce store, catalogsales order, online auction, etc.

Each step of the above manufacturing and distribution scenario adds costto the device. Further, the design steps are usually repeated completelyanew for subsequent devices. There is very little advantage to priordevelopment and design for new products since typical consumerelectronics technology changes so rapidly.

Another problem with the prior art design and distribution system isthat some standards for consumer electronics devices are owned by one,or a few, companies. These companies are in a position to charge largepayments. Manufacturers of new devices must determine, and putagreements in place to pay for, the standards to be used in the devicefrom the very beginning of the design cycle. Thus, the manufacturer isnot in a strong position to decide which standard to use based onconsumer demand, or popularity, near the time of sale of the device.Owners, or licensors, of standards typically do not have to competeagainst each other in a “free-market” where prices are closely tied tosupply and demand. This results in devices that cost more due to therelatively fixed, high, royalty payments. This hurts consumers' abilityto make decisions on the type of standard to follow and to obtain thebest price on a device that uses a particular standard.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a system that alleviates one or moreshortcomings in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system for efficient sale of devicesthat comply with licensed standards. A preferred embodiment of theinvention uses a generic, or highly adaptable, hardware device. Thedevice can be adapted to adhere to a specific standard, e.g.,code-division multiple access (CDMA), time-division multiple access(TDMA), etc., after manufacture such as at the point-of-sale to an enduser, prior to distribution, or at some other point in a distributionand sales network. This allows manufacturers, retailers and end users tobenefit from more competitive selection of standardized communication,data and other formats. Reduction of manufacturing costs and eliminationof shipping, or other transfer and storage costs, is also realized.

In one embodiment the invention provides a method for allowing anadaptable electronic device to be adapted prior to sale to an end user,wherein the device is sold by a retailer, the method comprising thefollowing steps performed by the retailer: obtaining an order for adevice with first functionality; adapting the device with the firstfunctionality; and selling the device with the first functionality to anend user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates an adaptable device's adaptation, distribution andsale according to the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates typical entities involved in the development, sale,distribution and adaptation of an electronic device; and

FIG. 2 illustrates basic parts of an adaptable device architecture basedon an adaptive computing environment.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides for adapting a device to comply withpopular standards used in commercial consumer electronic devices.Although the present application is presented primarily with respect toconsumer electronic devices and relevant standards, aspects of theinvention can be used with other types of electronic devices and otherstandards, licensed technology or functionality.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides for adapting theelectronic device at, or near, the point of consumer sale.

FIG. 1A illustrates adaptation, distribution and sale of an adaptabledevice according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1A, an adaptable device is initially provided to a distributionnetwork by an original manufacturer of the device represented byadaptable device 100. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses adevice including an adaptive computing engine (ACE) that is described indetail in the co-pending patent application referenced above, entitled“ADAPTIVE INTEGRATED CIRCUITRY WITH HETEROGENEOUS AND RECONFIGURABLEMATRICES OF DIVERSE AND ADAPTIVE COMPUTATIONAL UNITS HAVING FIXED,APPLICATION SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL ELEMENTS.” It should be apparent thatany type of adaptable hardware device design is adaptable for use withthe present invention. For example, the adaptable device can be any typeof adaptable device using other architectures or design methodologies,such as a device using a general-purpose processor, multiprocessing,application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gatearray (FPGA), dedicated circuitry, etc., or combination of theforegoing.

The adaptable device can be adapted with a desired standard, or otherfunctionality, at the point of initial shipping of the device. This isrepresented in FIG. 1A by an arrow from adaptation information 102 toadaptable device 100. The device can be adapted by adaptationinformation loaded into the device by any type of communication meanssuch as reading magnetic media, using a digital network such as alocal-area network (LAN), the Internet; using a hardwire transfer, usingoptical or radio-frequency communication, etc.

Some types of standards to which the device can be adapted to useinclude data formats and communication standards. For example, where adevice is intended to perform a cellular telephone function, standardssuch as TDMA, CDMA, voice-over internet protocol (VoIP), analog, digitalsatellite, or other standards can be employed. Where a device is anaudio playback device, formats such as Moving Pictures Expert's Group(MPEG) version 3, RealNetworks' “RealAudio” (.ra), Quicktime's (.mov),digital audio (.wav), Microsoft Media Player (.au) or other formats canbe used. Where a device is a global positioning system (GPS) receiverthe appropriate standards can be used. Many other types of standards andfunctionality can be suitable for use with the present invention.

Adaptation of the device can include the means described in co-pendingU.S. patent application entitled “SYSTEM FOR AUTHORIZING FUNCTIONALITYIN ADAPTABLE HARDWARE DEVICES,” referenced, above.

FIG. 1A shows distribution network 104. Distribution network 104 caninclude various entities and mechanisms for the sale, transfer andstorage of devices. For example, distribution network 104 can includeshipping and warehousing facilities; wholesalers, a return andrefurbishing network, etc. The distribution network culminates in an enduser, or consumer, sale of the device such as at retail sale point 106.

The present invention provides for the devices to be adapted at anypoint in distribution network 104 or at a retail sale point such asretail sale point 106. Note that such an approach provides advantages inquickly meeting consumer demand for specific types of devices. Forexample, if demand for TDMA cellular phones suddenly increases. There isno need for remanufacture and redistribution of TDMA-designed devices.The devices can merely be adapted as TDMA devices anywhere in thevarious entities (i.e., manufacturer, distributor or sales) of FIG. 1A.

The invention provides for very quick distribution since devices can bein warehouses, or even on retail store shelves, and can be reconfiguredin short time. One approach allows adaptation of devices stored inwarehouses to be driven by retailer demand. Thus, retailers place ordersfor certain devices from wholesalers. Adaptation of the devices isperformed at, or by, wholesalers to meet retailer demand. Naturally,adaptation can be performed by other entities, including the retailers,themselves. Another approach allows adaptation of devices to be drivenby consumer demand. In this case retailers, or any other entity canperform the adaptation.

Traditional forms of selling, renting, leasing, or contractual orlicensing arrangements can be used in connection with the adaptation ofdevices. For example, adaptation information 102 can be provided by aprimary company that is the manufacturer of the devices. The primarycompany can charge for transferring, or otherwise providing, theadaptation information. Adaptation information can acquire properties ofprior art devices in that it can be tracked, wholesaled and retailed.The advantage is that the cost to ship the adaptation information isvirtually nothing. Thus, the use of pre-sale adaptation of electronicdevices prior to the point of sale attains a “virtual device” that canbe instantly shipped to locations where the physical adaptable,“generic,” device is already present.

Naturally, the adaptation information can be transferred to a locationprior to, or in the absence of, actual devices being present at thelocation. The adaptation information can be stored and used at a latertime.

FIG. 2 illustrates basic parts of an adaptable device architecture basedon an adaptive computing environment (ACE) approach. Such an approach isdiscussed in detail in the co-pending patent application referenced,above. The ACE architecture uses small processing elements called nodes,or matrices. The matrices are each designed to be specialized in onebasic type of processing such as arithmetic, bit manipulation, finitestate machine, memory oriented or reduced instruction set computing(RISC) approaches. The matrices are provided with adaptableinterconnection networks. A scheduler performs the task of mapping anoperation, or function, onto the matrices. Once mapped, the function canexecute for a while before a next function is mapped onto the same setof matrices. In this manner, the functionality of a device that includesthe matrices can be changed quickly and efficiently.

In FIG. 2, adaptable matrix 150 includes a plurality of computationunits 200 (illustrated as computation units 200A through 200N).Computation units include a plurality of computational elements 250(illustrated as computational elements 250A through 250Z). Asillustrated in FIG. 2, matrix 150 generally includes a matrix controller230 and plurality of computation (or computational) units 200 as logicalor conceptual subsets or portions of a matrix interconnect network. Alsoshown are data interconnect network 240 and Boolean interconnect network210. Interconnect networks can have different levels ofinterconnectivity and flexibility for greater levels of adaptability andadaptation. In an applied architecture, the matrix represented by FIG. 2is replicated within a single chip, or chipset, and interconnected witheach other to provide a scalable approach to providing processingresources. A network interconnecting matrices (not shown) is referred toas a matrix interconnection network.

Boolean interconnect network 210 provides adaptation and datainterconnection capability between and among the various computationunits 200, and is preferably small (i.e., only a few bits wide). Datainterconnect network 240 provides the adaptation and datainterconnection capability for data input and output between and amongthe various computation units 200, and is preferably comparatively large(i.e., many bits wide). It should be noted, however, that whileconceptually divided into adaptation and data capabilities, any givenphysical portion of the matrix interconnection network, at any giventime, may be operating as either the Boolean interconnect network 210,the data interconnect network 240, the lowest level interconnect 220(between and among the various computational elements 250), or otherinput, output, or connection functionality.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2, included within a computation unit 200are a plurality of computational elements 250, illustrated ascomputational elements 250A through 250Z (individually and collectivelyreferred to as computational elements 250), and additional interconnect220. The interconnect 220 provides the adaptable interconnectioncapability and input/output paths between and among the variouscomputational elements 250. As indicated above, each of the variouscomputational elements 250 consist of dedicated, application specifichardware designed to perform a given task or range of tasks, resultingin a plurality of different, fixed computational elements 250. Utilizingthe interconnect 220, the fixed computational elements 250 may beadaptably connected together into adaptive and varied computationalunits 200, which also may be further adapted and interconnected, toexecute an algorithm or other function, at any given time, utilizing theinterconnect 220, the Boolean network 210, and the matrixinterconnection network (not shown).

In a preferred embodiment, the various computational elements 250 aredesigned and grouped together, into various adaptive and adaptablecomputation units 200. In addition to computational elements 250 whicharc designed to execute a particular algorithm or function, such asmultiplication or addition, other types of computational elements 250are also utilized. As illustrated in FIG. 2, computational elements 250Aand 250B implement memory, to provide local memory elements for anygiven calculation or processing function (compared to more “remote” orauxiliary memory that can be external to the matrix). In addition,computational elements 250I, 250J, 250K and 250L are adapted toimplement finite state machines to provide local processing capabilityespecially suitable for complicated control processing.

With the various types of different computational elements 250 that maybe available, depending upon the desired functionality, the computationunits 200 may be loosely categorized. A first category of computationunits 200 includes computational elements 250 performing linearoperations, such as multiplication, addition, finite impulse responsefiltering, and so on. A second category of computation units 200includes computational elements 250 performing non-linear operations,such as discrete cosine transformation, trigonometric calculations, andcomplex multiplications. A third type of computation unit 200 implementsa finite state machine, such as computation unit 200C as illustrated inFIG. 2, particularly useful for complicated control sequences, dynamicscheduling, and input/output management, while a fourth type mayimplement memory and memory management, such as computation unit 200A.Lastly, a fifth type of computation unit 200 may be included to performbit-level manipulation, such as for encryption, decryption, channelcoding, Viterbi decoding, and packet and protocol processing (such asInternet Protocol processing).

In addition to the ways of determining functionality for general-purposeprocessing devices, as described above, the functionality of a deviceusing the ACE architecture can be determined by adaptation informationthat is used to schedule operations on the computation units. Usageinformation can include the availability, types and frequency of use ofdifferent computation units. Adaptation of the interconnect network,number of active computation units over time, rate of execution ofoperations, etc., can all be used as usage parameters.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments, the embodiments are merely illustrative, and notrestrictive, of the invention. For example, adaptable devices canalready be adapted with specific functionality and/or standards prior toadapting, or re-adapting the devices prior to the point of sale.

Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by theappended claims.

1. A method for allowing an adaptable electronic device to be adaptedprior to sale to an end user, wherein the device is sold by a retailer,the method comprising the following steps performed by the retailerobtaining an order for a device with first functionality; adapting thedevice with the first functionality; and selling the device with thefirst functionality to an end user.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe device is a cellular telephone, the method further comprisingwherein the step of adapting includes the substep of adapting the deviceto achieve a code-division multiple access (CDMA) communicationsstandard.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a cellulartelephone, the method further comprising wherein the step of adaptingincludes the substep of adapting the device to achieve a time-divisionmultiple access (TDMA) communications standard.
 4. The method of claim1, wherein the device is a cellular telephone, the method furthercomprising wherein the step of adapting includes the substep of adaptingthe device to achieve a voice over internet protocol communicationsstandard.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adapting furthercomprises the substep of adapting the device with a data formatstandard.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adapting furthercomprises the substep of adapting the device with a communicationsstandard.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an audioplayback device, the method further comprising wherein the step ofadapting includes a substep of adapting the device to use mpeg-3 (mp3)decoding.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a cellulartelephone, the method further comprising wherein the step of adaptingincludes the substep of adapting the device to use RealAudio decoding.9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a cellular telephone,the method further comprising wherein the step of adapting includes thesubstep of adapting the device to use Windows Media Player decoding.